Madame Morrible (also known as Madame Akaber and Senorita Morrida in some foreign productions) is the headmistress of Shiz University and one of the main antagonists of the Broadway musical, Wicked.
History[]
Early on, Madame Morrible discovers Elphaba's talent for sorcery on the day the girl arrives at Shiz University, and insists upon training her personally, as well as suggesting to the Wizard that she be brought before him with a view to making her his "magic Grand Vizier", dismissing Galinda, who wants to be in her class, only letting her in when Elphaba threatens to quit if she's not included.
At this audience, Madame Morrible tricks Elphaba into using her powers to create winged monkeys for the Wizard. When Elphaba realizes her mistake and flees, Madame Morrible spreads the rumor that she is a "Wicked Witch", in order to turn the citizens of Oz against her.
In contrast to the novel, she is explicitly shown to possess magical powers, being especially talented at controlling the weather. By use of this ability, she is later responsible for creating the cyclone which indirectly drops a house that falls out of the sky, subsequently kills Nessarose (the Wicked Witch of the East) and brings Dorothy Gale into Oz. She is present when the Wizard sends witch-hunters to kill Elphaba, and dismisses Glinda's protests at this course of action, claiming that she knows Glinda harbored a desire for revenge after Elphaba ran off with Fiyero.
Myra Lucretia Taylor as Madame Morrible with Donna Vivino as Elphaba and Kate Rose Clarke as Glinda.
Since the musical is more oriented to younger audiences and families, Madame Morrible is not killed in that adaptation as she was in the original novel. Instead, Glinda orders the Wizard's Guards to throw Madame Morrible into prison.
Musical Numbers[]
Solos (In A Duet)[]
- The Wizard And I (Elphaba)
- The Wizard and I (Reprise) (Elphaba)
Solos (In A Group Number)[]
- Thank Goodness (Glinda and Citizens of Oz)
Isabel Keating and Jessica Vosk 2nd National Tour
Trivia[]
- Susan Hilferty stated in multiple interviews that Madame Morrible is her favorite character and design aspect of the show.
- Carole Shelley stated in an interview that in her portrayal, the hairline of her wigs would recede the more evil Morrible was showing herself to be.
- In the German and Dutch productions she is named "Madame Akaber"
- In the Mexico City Production, she is named "Senorita Morrida"
- Isabel Keating, who plays Madame Morrible in the 2nd National Tour, starred as Judy Garland in The Boy from Oz on Broadway in 2003.
Portrayers[]
Fernanda Tapia as Madame Morrible.
Broadway[]
- Carole Shelley (2003-2005, 2007-2008)
- Rue McClanahan (2005-2006)
- Carol Kane (2006)
- Jayne Houdyshell (2006-2007, 2008-2009)
- Miriam Margoyles (2008)
- Kathy Santen (2008)
- Rondi Reed (2009-2010)
- Kathy Fitzgerald (2010-2011, 2014-2015, 2016, 2021)
- Randy Danson (2011-2013)
- Carol Kane (2013-2014)
- Mary Testa (2014-2015)
- Michele Lee (2015-2016)
- Judy Kaye (2016, 2022)
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (2016-2017)
- Rondi Reed (2017-2018)
- Isabel Keating (2018)
- Nancy Opel (2019-2020)
- Alexandra Billings (2020-2021, 2021-2022)
- Sharon Sachs (2022)
- Michele Pawk (2022-2024)
- Donna McKechnie (March 2024-Current)
Broadway Understudies[]
- Jan Neuberger
- Lorna Ventura
- Adinah Alexander
- Kathy Deitch
- Barbara Tirrell
- Kathy Santen (2006-Current)
- Gaelen Gilliland
- Sarah Bolt
- Betsy Werbel (2011-2015)
- Dioni Michelle Collins (temporary)
- Dina Bennett
- Sheila Karls
- Erin Wilson
- Katie Ladner (Current)
1st National Tour[]
- Carol Kane (2005)
- Carole Shelley (2005-2006)
- Alma Cuervo (2006-2007; 2007-2008; 2011)
- Barbara Tirrell (2007)
- Myra Lucretia Taylor (2008-2009)
- Randy Danson (2009-2011)
- Jayne Houdyshell (2010; temporary)
- Liz McCartney (2011-2012)
- Jody Gelb (2012; 2013 temporary)
- Kim Zimmer (2012-2013)
- Alison Fraser (2013-2014)
1st National Tour Understudies[]
- Barbara Tirrell
- Brooke Elliott
- Kathy Deitch
- Leslie Becker
- Celisse Henderson
- Renée Lawless-Orsini
- Betsy Werbel
- Melanie Field
- Pamela Shandrow
- Dina Bennett
- Sheila Karls
- Erin Wilson
Chicago[]
- Rondi Reed (2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2008)
- Carole Shelley (2006)
- Barbara Robertson (2007-2008, 2008-2009)
Chicago Understudies[]
- Kathy Santen
- Dioni Michelle Collins
- Jill Hayman
- Mindy Reid
West End (London)[]
- Miriam Margoyles (2006-2007)
- Susie Blake (2007-2008)
- Harriet Thorpe (2008-2010; 2013)
- Julie Legrand (2010-2012)
- Louise Plowright (2012-2013)
- Sue Kelvin (2013-2014, 2017)
- Lisa Sadovy (2014-2016)
- Anita Dobson (2016-2017)
- Melanie La Barrie (2017-2019)
- Kim Ismay (2019-2022)
- Sophie-Louise Dann (2022-Current)
West End Understudies[]
- Kerry Washington (also Midwife)
- Nadine Cox (also Midwife)
- Aileen Donohoe (also Midwife)
- Jennifer Tierney (also Midwife)
- Shirley Jameson (also Midwife)
- Jacqueline Hughes (also Midwife)
- Tania Mathurin (also Midwife)
- Melissa Jacques (also Midwife)
- Kerry Enright (also Midwife)
- Steph Parry (also Midwife)
- Claudia Kariuki (also Midwife)
- Genevieve Taylor (also Midwife)
- Jessica-Alice McCluskey (also Midwife)
- Natalie Spriggs (also Midwife) (Current)
- Aiesha Naomi Pease (Current)
Los Angeles[]
- Carol Kane (2007, 2008-2009)
- JoAnne Worley (2008)
Los Angeles Understudies[]
- Linda Kerns
- Dioni Michelle Collins
Stuttgart[]
- Angelika Wedekind (2007-2008)
- Barbara Raunegger (2008-2010)
Stuttgart Understudies[]
- Francesca Taverni
- Jessica Lantto
- Helena Blöcker
- Juliana De Aquino
Melbourne[]
- Maggie Kirkpatrick (2008-2009)
Melbourne Understudies[]
- Johanna Allen
- Zoe Gertz
San Francisco[]
- Carol Kane (2009)
- Patty Duke (2009-2010)
- Jody Gelb (2010-2011)
San Francisco Understudies[]
- Fiama Fricano
- Celisse Henderson
- Annie Funke
2nd National Tour[]
- Marilyn Caskey (2009-2011, 2011-2012)
- Jody Gelb (2011, 2018-2019)
- Alma Cuervo (2011; temporary)
- Gina Ferrall (2012-2013)
- Kathy Fitzgerald (2013-2014; 2023-2024)
- Kristine Zbornik (2014-2015)
- Wendy Worthington (2015-2016)
- Isabel Keating (2016-2017)
- Judy Kaye (2017-2018)
- Sharon Sachs (2019-2022; 2023)
- Lisa Howard (2022)
- Natalie Venetia Belcon (2022-2023)
- Aymee Garcia (2024)
2nd National Tour Understudies[]
- Jenn Furman
- Erin Wilson
- Tory Ross
- Linda Griffin
- Jane Brockman
- Erin Wilson (Temporary)
- Bridie Carroll (Current)
- Tregoney Shepherd (Current)
Auckland, New Zealand[]
- Maggie Kirkpatrick
Sydney[]
- Maggie Kirkpatrick (2009-2010)
Sydney Understudies[]
- Johanna Allen
- Zoe Gertz
Oberhausen[]
- Barbara Raunegger (2010-2011)
Oberhausen Understudies[]
- Helena Blöcker
- Christina Maria Brenner
Australian Tour[]
- Maggie Kirkpatrick
- Geraldine Turner (temporary)
Australian Tour Understudies[]
- Zoe (Gertz) Jarrett
- Andrea Arena
Scheveningen[]
- Pamela Teves (2011-2013)
Scheveningen Understudies[]
- Penny Vos (2011-2013)
- Sandra Wijnhout (2011-2013)
Asian Tour[]
- Anne Wood (2011-2012)
- Maggie Kirkpatrick (2012)
Asian Tour Understudies[]
- Naomi Livingston
- Greta Sherriff
Helsinki, Finland (2010-2011)[]
- Ursula Salo
Helsinki Understudies[]
- Leenamari Unho
Copenhagen, Denmark (2011)[]
- Marianne Mortensen
Mexico City []
- Anahi Allue (Orignal)
- Fernanda Tapia (Oct, 2014)
UK / Ireland tour[]
- Marilyn Cutts (September 2013 - July 2015)
UK/Ireland Tour Understudies[]
- Wendy-Lee Purdy (September 2013 - July 2015)
- Katie Kerr (September 2013 - September 2014)
- Lauren Ellis-Steele (September 2014 - July 2015)
2nd UK/Ireland Tour and International Tour[]
- Kim Ismay (July 2016-January 2019)
2nd UK/Ireland Tour and International Tour Understudies[]
- Wendy-Lee Purdy (July 2016-July 2017)
- Emily Olive Boyd (July 2016-January 2019)
- Helen Walsh (November 2017-January 2019)
3rd UK/Ireland Tour[]
- Donna Berlin (December 2023-January 2025)
3rd UK/Ireland Tour Understudies[]
- Julie Cloke (also Midwife) (December 2023-January 2025)
- Georgia McElwee (December 2023-January 2025)
Brazilian Production[]
- Adriana Quadros (2016)